Starfield: Shattered Space Is a Narrative-Driven, Horror-Inflected Expansion to the Galaxy

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Aug 22, 2024 - 22:00
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Starfield: Shattered Space Is a Narrative-Driven, Horror-Inflected Expansion to the Galaxy
Starfield Shattered Space Hero Image

Starfield: Shattered Space Is a Narrative-Driven, Horror-Inflected Expansion to the Galaxy

“Don’t board,” are some of the first words you’ll hear as part of Starfield: Shattered Space, the new story expansion arriving on September 30. You’re being hailed by someone trapped in The Oracle, a beleaguered space station. Of course you board, despite the warning.

Shattered Space simultaneously offers a swathe of new missions set almost entirely across a single planet, plays with new tones and genres in a horror-inflected mystery story, and answers questions about the mysterious House Va’Ruun faction that players were introduced to in the main game. It’s a mammoth undertaking.

During this early look at the expansion, I see how Shattered Space sets its stall out early. The tone goes further with horror tropes than Starfield has done before. But it’s doing more than offering a simple genre swerve – it’s all setting up a multi-hour mystery that will take you into the long-lost heart of Va’Ruun culture, and asking you to help solve a horrifying problem.

As Bethesda Game Studios puts it, Starfield is fundamentally about humanity’s quest for knowledge, but Shattered Space adds a question into the mix – what happens when that quest goes too far? The people of House Va’Ruun – a secluded sect that believe in a god known as The Great Serpent – have tragically experimented with grav drive technology, to deeply unpleasant results. When your exploration of The Oracle inadvertently leads you to their secret homeworld, Va’Ruun’kai, you’re entering a disaster only just taking shape.

Two weeks before your arrival, that experiment went wrong, devastating the Va’Ruun’kai capital, Dazra and beyond. It’s cut off portions of the world inside gravitational distortions known as Vortexes, the Va’Ruun leader has vanished (leaving factions of Va’Ruun society vying for power), and extra-dimensional monsters have begun spilling into our reality. Amid all this, you’ll need to become initiated into Va’Ruun culture, and help negotiate both political and violent struggles.

The key to Shattered Space is that the entire expansion takes place on Va’Ruun’kai (although you can leave and return at almost any time). Major sections of the planet are entirely handcrafted. It looks and feels like a classic Bethesda Game Studios experience, similar to prior expansions for The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series – a self-contained story that plays with tone and mechanics that the main game didn’t.

Bethesda Game Studios have created something new with Va’Ruun’kai – this world doesn’t look or act like any other in the game. It’s a deeply alien landscape, the architecture is unique, and Vortexes even change how you explore, allowing you to effectively platform to out of the way structures in pockets of zero-G. Even if you’ve explored the length and breadth of Starfield’s galaxy, there’s something new here for you.

The sheer scope here is clear across the board. There are cosmic ghost stories, monster attacks from new species, and even what look like fully-fledged survival horror sequences with stalking abominations. Of course, you’ll be finding new weapons and equipment along the way to help you combat these new threats, too – I’m particularly interested in the Vortex Grenade, which appears to harness the power of the devastation in a spectacular way.

The story will fill purposeful gaps in the lore about how and why Va’Ruun society cut itself off from the rest of the Settled Systems, go some way to explain why Va’Ruun Zealots have become a hostile force, and we’re even teased with the idea that our decisions in this story can affect the wider galaxy once we’re done.

Even with just a glimpse of Shattered Space under my belt, it’s clear that this is far more than a slotted-in side-story – it’s another thread being woven into Starfield’s rich tapestry. Mysteries and horrors await on Va’Ruun’kai, and it won’t be long until we get to experience them.

Starfield: Shattered Space launches for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Steam on September 30.

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Starfield is the first new universe in over 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery. *** Premium Edition includes: – Starfield Base Game – Shattered Space Story Expansion (upon release) – 1,000 Creation Credits – Constellation Skin Pack: Equinox Laser Rifle, Spacesuit, Helmet and Boost Pack – Access to Starfield Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack *** In the year 2330, humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. You will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of space in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game. TELL YOUR STORY In Starfield the most important story is the one you tell with your character. Start your journey by customizing your appearance and deciding your Background and Traits. Will you be an experienced explorer, a charming diplomat, a stealthy cyber runner, or something else entirely? The choice is yours. Decide who you will be and what you will become. EXPLORE OUTER SPACE Venture through the stars and explore more than 1000 planets. Navigate bustling cities, explore dangerous bases, and traverse wild landscapes. Meet and recruit a memorable cast of characters, join in the adventures of various factions, and embark on quests across the Settled Systems. A new story or experience is always waiting to be discovered. CAPTAIN THE SHIP OF YOUR DREAMS Pilot and command the ship of your dreams. Personalize the look of your ship, modify critical systems including weapons and shields, and assign crew members to provide unique bonuses. In deep space you will engage in high-stakes dogfights, encounter random missions, dock at star stations, and even board and commandeer enemy ships to add to your collection. DISCOVER, COLLECT, BUILD Explore planets and discover the fauna, flora, and resources needed to craft everything from medicine and food to equipment and weapons. Build outposts and hire a crew to passively extract materials and establish cargo links to transfer resources between them. Invest these raw materials into research projects to unlock unique crafting recipes. LOCK AND LOAD Space can be a dangerous place. A refined combat system gives you the tools to deal with any situation. Whether you prefer long-range rifles, laser weapons, or demolitions, each weapon type can be modified to complement your playstyle. Zero G environments add a chaotic spectacle to combat, while boost packs give players freedom to maneuver like never before.

The post Starfield: Shattered Space Is a Narrative-Driven, Horror-Inflected Expansion to the Galaxy appeared first on Xbox Wire.

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李芷晴 https://tszching.uk